"We're going to unleash it," Kelce told the team's official website. "I'm confident in where our personnel is right now. Where we're headed as a team is awesome and it's exciting. I feel like, offensively, we can definitely improve from last year. We know we belong here and now we know what we're capable of. We know what we're supposed to do and don't be shocked when it happens like it did last year. It's what we work for."

Added Kelce: "We know where we're supposed to be at the end of the year and that's playing for a championship."

Kelce signed a six-year, $46.8 million deal in January packed with $20.02 million in guarantees. The contract is nice, but the productive pass-catcher says he's "more motivated than ever," and "it has nothing to do" with the new money.

"It has everything to do with how everything played out last year," Kelce said. "I feel like the accountability just gets higher and higher with the success you have as a team."

The Chiefs have their reasons for optimism. General manager John Dorsey did an excellent job of keeping his defensive core together, while bolstering his offensive line with former Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

Around The NFL ranked the AFC West as the third-best division in football, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Chiefs finish atop that group if the Broncos fail to find someone better than Mark Sanchez at quarterback.

"I know a lot of guys, if not everyone, still has that sour taste in their mouths after how it ended last year," Kelce said. "It definitely feels good to get back in here and start to get this train rocking."